Part 18

Dost thou lament that life, urg'd-on too quickly, Rolls round its course in hasting revolution? Dost blame the thrifty gods, when thou thyself art Lavish of lifetime? What thyself wastest, mourn'st thou if it perish? Dost drive it from thee, but deplore it going? Is life thy servant? Sooth, a very servant Turn'd off departeth. Life's stream is fleeting--I confess it--always; But once let Pleasure yield an easy incline, With headlong wave and with more fleeting current Onward it glideth. Sleep, the thief, closing drowsy eyelids, snatcheth One mighty portion; while as large a portion Pleasure, the robber, carries off unchalleng'd-- Time's precious gold-dust. Thou for thyself a thousand deaths createst; And the more lifetimes thou dost spend in folly, So many more in lieu of them demandest; Wasting and wanting. R. WI.

DE SANGUINE MARTYRUM.

Felices, properatis io, properatis, et altam Vicistis gyro sub breviore viam. Vos per non magnum vestri mare sanguinis illuc Cymba tulit nimiis non operosa notis, Quo nos tam lento sub remigio luctantes Ducit inexhausti vis male fida freti. Nos mora, nos longi consumit inertia lethi; In ludum mortis luxuriemque sumus. Nos aevo et senio et latis permittimur undis; Spargimur in casus, porrigimur furiis. Nos miseri sumus ex amplo spatioque perimus; In nos inquirunt fata, probantque manus; Ingenium fati sumus, ambitioque malorum. Conatus mortis consiliumque sumus. In vitae multo multae patet area mortis[95] . . . . . Non vitam nobis numerant, quot viximus anni: Vita brevis nostra est; sit licet acta diu. Vivere non longum est, quod longam ducere vitam: Res longa in vita saepe peracta brevi est. Nec vos tam vitae Deus in compendia misit, Quam vetuit vestrae plus licuisse neci. Accedit vitae quicquid decerpitur aevo, Atque illo brevius, quo citius morimur.

TRANSLATION.

MARTYRS.

Good speed ye made, in sooth, good speed, ye blest, And by a shorter course won heavenly rest; Over a narrow sea of your own blood Death's bark has borne you, by few gales withstood: While with slow oars we toil the shore to gain, Through boisterous fury of the boundless main. _We_ waste with lingering, indolent decay; We are Death's pastime and his wanton play; O'er time and age and wide waves we are blown, Expos'd to furies and to chances thrown. Wretched in full are we, perish at length; Fates seek us out, and try on us their strength. We are Fate's skill, Evils' ambition fine, Death's utmost effort and deep-plann'd design. In a long life wide field for Death there lies; In a short life grand deeds may daze men's eyes.[96] By years we live we reckon not our life; Our life is short, with great deeds be it rife. To spend long years, let not long life be thought; A long-liv'd deed oft in short life is wrought. God not so much contracted your life's space, As order'd Death the sooner to give place. What earth's life loses, gains the life on high: By how much sooner, so much less we die. R. WI.

SPES.

Spes diva, salve! diva avidam tuo Necessitatem numine prorogans, Vindicta fortunae furentis, Una salus mediis ruinis. Regina quamvis, tu solium facis Depressa parvi tecta tugurii; Surgit jacentes inter; illic Firma magis tua regna constant. Cantus catenis, carmina carcere, Dolore ab ipso gaudiaque exprimis: Scintilla tu vivis sub imo Pectoris, haud metuens procellas. Tu regna servis, copia pauperi, Victis triumphus, littora naufrago, Ipsisque damnatis patrona, Anchora sub medio profundo. Quin ipse alumnus sum tuus, ubere Pendens ab isto, et hinc animam traho. O Diva nutrix, o foventes Pande sinus, sitiens laboro.

TRANSLATION.

HOPE.

Hail, goddess Hope! Who Fate remorseless movest Far off, and canst with raging Fortune cope; 'Mid ruin thou our sole salvation provest. A mighty queen, Thy throne on roof-trees lowly And prostrate souls is fix'd, and there are seen The firm foundations of thy kingdom holy. A gladsome hymn From fetters disengaging, And joy from grief, thou liv'st in bosom dim, A spark that laughs at tempests wildly raging. A crown to slaves; Abundance to the needy; To shipwreck'd men a refuge from the waves; To conquer'd and condemn'd deliverance speedy. An 'Anchor sure,' The eternal Rock thou graspest, The strain of ocean 'stedfast' to endure; And Heaven's calm joys 'within the veil' thou claspest. Nay, I thy child, Dependent here adore thee: From thee I draw my life, O Mother mild; Open thy fostering bosom, I implore thee. R. WI.

{EIS TON TOU STEPHANOU STEPHANON}.

Ecce tuos lapides! nihil est pretiosius illis; Seu pretium capiti dent, capiantve tuo. Scilicet haec ratio vestri diadematis: hoc est, Unde coronatis vos decet ire comis. Quisque lapis quanto magis in se vilis habetur, Ditior hoc capiti est gemma futura tuo. Haec est, quae sacra didicit florere figura, Non nisi per lacrymas charta videnda tuas. Scilicet ah dices, haec cum spectaveris ora, Ora sacer sic, o sic tulit ille pater. Sperabis solitas illinc, pia fulmina, voces; Sanctaque tam dulci mella venire via. Sic erat illa, suas Famae cum traderet alas, Ad calamum, dices, sic erat illa manus. Tale erat et pectus, celsae domus ardua mentis, Tale suo plenum sidere pectus erat. O bene fallacis mendacia pulchra tabellae, Et qui tam simili vivit in aere, labor! Cum tu tot chartis vitam, Pater alme, dedisti, Haec merito vitam charta dat una tibi.

TRANSLATION.

ON STEPHEN'S CROWN.

[This poem seems only intelligible by our supposing that a double reference is intended; first, and faintly, to St. Stephen the proto-martyr; and mainly to Stephens (Stephanus), father and son, Robert and Henry, the great scholars, commentators, printers, and publishers of the sixteenth century, whose books would always be in Crashaw's hands. Stephens, father and son, suffered persecution, banishment, poverty, and excommunication alike from Protestants and Catholics, while engaged in bringing out the Bible, Greek Testament, and numerous Classic Authors. 'In two years Henry revised and published more than 4000 pages of Greek text.' In the latter years of his life, being driven from Geneva (as it is alleged) by the 'petty surveillance and censorship of the pious pastors there, he wandered in poverty over Europe, his own family often ignorant where he was to be found.']

Behold thy stones! more precious nought is seen, Whether they deck with precious rays serene Thy head, or from it take a precious glow. This is your style of diadem; e'en so With crowned locks 'tis seemly ye should go: The viler in itself each stone may seem, A richer gem upon thy head will gleam. Behold the Book where, seen through mist of tears, A sacred form in manhood's bloom appears. Ah, you will say, when you behold this face, Such looks, O such, our father us'd to grace. The accustom'd sounds you hope for--holy thunder, And the blest honey hid that sweet tongue under: So, o'er his pen, you say, that hand was bent, When her own wings to fetter'd Fame he lent. Such was that breast, his spirit's lofty dwelling-- That breast with its own starry thoughts high swelling. O pleasing fantasies of picture fair, And kindred forms which laboured brass may bear! Since through thee, Sire, such countless writings live, Life unto thee let this one writing give. R. WI.

EXPOSTULATIO JESU CHRISTI

CUM MUNDO INGRATO.

Sum pulcher: at nemo tamem me diligit. Sum nobilis: nemo est mihi qui serviat. Sum dives: a me nemo quicquam postulat. Et cuncta possum: nemo me tamen timet. Aeternus exsto: quaeror a paucissimis. Prudensque sum: sed me quis est qui consulit? Et sum Via: at per me quotusquisque ambulat? Sum Veritas: quare mihi non creditur? Sum Vita: verum rarus est qui me petit. Sum Vera Lux: videre me nemo cupit. Sum misericors: nullus fidem in me collocat. Tu, si peris, non id mihi imputes, homo: Salus tibi est a me parata: hac utere.[97]

TRANSLATION.

JESUS CHRIST'S EXPOSTULATION

WITH AN UNGRATEFUL WORLD.

I am all-fair, yet no one loveth Me: Noble, yet no one would My servant be: Rich, yet no suppliant at My gate appears: Almighty, yet before Me no one fears: Eternal, I by very few am sought: Wise am I, yet My counsel goes for nought: I am the Way, yet by Me walks scarce one: The Truth, why am I not relied upon? The Life, yet seldom one My help requires: The True Light, yet to see Me none desires: And I am merciful, yet none is known To place his confidence in Me alone. Man, if thou perish, 'tis that thou dost choose it; Salvation I have wrought for thee, O use it! R. WI.

Latin Poems.

PART SECOND. SECULAR.

I.

FROM 'STEPS TO THE TEMPLE' AND 'DELIGHTS OF THE MUSES,' ETC.

1646-1648.

NOTE.

Among the English poems of the 'Steps to the Temple' and 'Delights of the Muses' of 1646 were the following, in order: In Picturam Reverendissimi Episcopi D. Andrews (p. 89)--Epitaphium in Dominum Herrisium (pp. 92-3)--Principi recens natae omen maternae indolis (pp. 108-9)--In Serenissimae Reginae partum hyemalem (pp. 118-9)--Ad Reginam (pp. 121-2)--In faciem Augustiss. Regis a morbillis integram (p. 127)--Rex Redux (pp. 131-2), and Ad Principem nondum natum (p. 133). In the enlarged edition of 1648 besides these, there appeared: Bulla (pp. 54-58)--Thesaurus Malorum Foemina (p. 59)--In Apollinea depereuntem Daphnen (pp. 60-1)--Aeneas Patris sui Bajulus (p. 61)--In Pygmaliona (p. 61)--Arion (pp. 61-2)--Phoenicis Genethliacon et Epicedion (p. 63)--Epitaphium (p. 64)--Damno affici saepe fit Lucrum (pp. 64-5)--Humanae Vitae Descriptio (p. 65)--Tranquillitas Animi, Similitudine ducta ab Ave captiva et canora tamen (pp. 66-7).

These Poems I have arranged under two classes: (_a_) Miscellaneous, really, not merely formally, poetry: (_b_) Royal and other commemorative pieces. The former in the present section, the latter in the next. See our Essay on each. Nearly the whole of the translations in this division are by myself, with additional renderings of some by Rev. Thomas Ashe, M.A., as before, and others by Rev. Richard Wilton, M.A., as before, as pointed out in the places.

As before, I note here the more misleading errors of Turnbull's text. In 'Bulla,' l. 1, 'timores' for 'tumores;' l. 4, 'dextera mihi' for 'dextra mei;' l. 54, 'nitent' for 'niteat;' l. 80, 'avis' for 'uvis;' l. 84, 'nives' for 'niveae;' l. 85, 'sint' for 'sunt;' l. 154, 'desinet' for 'defluet;' l. 157, 'Tempe' for 'Nempe:' in Tranquillitas Animi,' l. 13, 'minis minisque' for 'nimis nimisque;' l. 16, 'patrisque' for 'patreaeque;' l. 20, 'provocabit' for 'provocabat:' in 'Humanae Vitae Descriptio,' l. 13, 'more' for 'mare:' in 'Apollinea depereuntem Daphnen,' l. 12, 'ores' for 'oris:' in Phoenicis Genethliacon et Epicedion,' l. 5, 'teipsum' for 'teipsam:' in 'Epitaphium,' l. 6, 'tremulum' for 'tremulam;' l. 7, 'discas' for 'disces,' 'hinc' for 'huc,' and 'reponas' for 'repones;' l. 10, 'miseris' for 'nimis:' in 'Thesaurus Malorum Foemina,' l. 16, 'Pietas' for 'Pectus.' G.

BULLA.

Quid tibi vana suos offert mea Bulla tumores? Quid facit ad vestrum pondus inane meum? Expectat nostros humeros toga fortior. Ista En mea Bulla, lares en tua dextra mei. Quid tu? quae nova machina, 5 Quae tam fortuito globo In vitam properas brevem? Qualis virgineos adhuc Cypris concutiens sinus, Cypris jam nova, jam recens, 10 Et spumis media in suis, Promsit purpureum latus; Concha de patria micas, Pulchroque exsilis impetu; Statim et millibus ebria 15 Ducens terga coloribus Evolvis tumidos sinus Sphaera plena volubili. Cujus per varium latus, Cujus per teretem globum 20 Iris lubrica cursitans Centum per species vagas, Et picti facies chori Circum regnat, et undique, Et se Diva volatilis 25 Jucundo levis impetu Et vertigine perfida Lasciva sequitur fuga, Et pulchre dubitat; fluit Tam fallax toties novis, 30 Tot se per reduces vias, Erroresque reciprocos Spargit vena coloribus; Et pompa natat ebria. Tali militia micans 35 Agmen se rude dividit; Campis quippe volantibus, Et campi levis aequore Ordo insanus obambulans Passim se fugit, et fugat. 40 Passim perdit, et invenit. Pulchrum spargitur hic Chaos. Hic viva, hic vaga flumina Ripa non propria meant, Sed miscent socias vias, 45 Communique sub alveo Stipant delicias suas. Quarum proximitas vaga Tam discrimine lubrico, Tam subtilibus arguit 50 Juncturam tenuem notis, Pompa ut florida nullibi Sinceras habeat vias; Nec vultu niteat suo. Sed dulcis cumulus novos 55 Miscens purpureus sinus Flagrant divitiis suis, Privatum renuens jubar. Floris diluvio vagi, Floris sidere publico 60 Late ver subit aureum, Atque effunditur in suae Vires undique copiae. Nempe omnis quia cernitur, Nullus cernitur hic color, 65 Et vicinia contumax Allidit species vagas. Illic contiguis aquis Marcent pallidulae faces. Unde hic vena tenellulae, 70 Flaminis ebria proximis Discit purpureas vias, Et rubro salit alveo. Ostri sanguineum jubar Lambunt lactea flumina; 75 Suasu caerulei maris Mansuescit seges aurea; Et lucis faciles genae Vanas ad nebulas stupent; Subque uvis rubicundulis 80 Flagrant sobria lilia; Vicinis adeo rosis Vicinae invigilant nives; Ut sint et niveae rosae, Ut sunt et roseae nives, 85 Accenduntque rosae nives, Extinguuntque nives rosas. Illic cum viridi rubet, Hic et cum rutile viret, Lascivi facies chori. 90 Et quicquid rota lubrica Caudae stelligerae notat, Pulchrum pergit et in ambitum. Hic coeli implicitus labor, Orbes orbibus obvii; 95 ex velleris aurei, Grex pellucidus aetheris; Qui noctis nigra pascua Puris morsibus atterit; Hic quicquid nitidum et vagum 100 Coeli vibrat arenula, Dulci pingitur in joco; Hic mundus tener impedit Sese amplexibus in suis. Succinctique sinu globi 105 Errat per proprium decus. Hic nictant subitae faces, Et ludunt tremulum diem, Mox se surripiunt sui et Quaerunt tecta supercili, 110 Atque abdunt petulans jubar, Subsiduntque proterviter. Atque haec omnia quam brevis Sunt mendacia machinae! Currunt scilicet omnia 115 Sphaera, non vitrea quidem-- Ut quondam Siculus globus-- Sed vitro nitida magis, Sed vitro fragili magis, Et vitro vitrea magis. 120 Sum venti ingenium breve, Flos sum, scilicet, aeris, Sidus scilicet aequoris; Naturae jocus aureus, Naturae vaga fabula, 125 Naturae breve somnium. Nugarum decus et dolor; Dulcis doctaque vanitas. Aurae filia perfidae; Et risus facilis parens. 130 Tantum gutta superbior, Fortunatius et lutum. Sum fluxae pretium spei; Una ex Hesperidum insulis. Formae pyxis, amantium 135 Clare caecus ocellulus; Vanae et cor leve gloriae. Sum caecae speculum Deae, Sum Fortunae ego tessera, Quam dat militibus suis; 140 Sum Fortunae ego symbolum, Quo sancit fragilem fidem Cum mortalibus ebriis, Obsignatque tabellulas. Sum blandum, petulans, vagum, 145 Pulchrum, purpureum, et decens, Comptum, floridulum, et recens, Distinctum nivibus, rosis, Undis, ignibus, aere, Pictum, gemmeum, et aureum, 150 O sum, scilicet, o NIHIL. Si piget, et longam traxisse in taedia pompam Vivax, et nimium Bulla videtur anus: Tolle tuos oculos pensum leve defluet, illam Parca metet facili non operosa manu. 155 Vixit adhuc. Cur vixit? adhuc tu nempe legebas. Nempe fuit tempus tum potuisse mori?

NOTE.

A collation of the 'Bulla' with the Tanner MS. corrects the punctuation of the original and subsequent printed texts, and specially puts right in the last line 'Nempe' for 'Tempe,' so long retained. In the fourth line from close the printed texts read 'desinet' for 'defluet.' Nothing else noticeable. G.

TRANSLATION. THE BUBBLE. [TO REV. DR. LANY.]